former. . Thisdiftlnétibii However appears tó Be more
imaginary than real* as f^r as réff>ë£ls thé rainy feaföbs;
for as. tBefe downfalls; of water only take place when the
fun is vertical, which it is near the line twfce g’year,and
for an equal portion óf tirnë, the continuance *bf thé rains
will prüthihïy be équaj in both fei&jgs/ r
The^ difièrertqê between the (try feaiohs indeed may be
accounted for from, thé greater commencing in Surinam
at the time when the fun is ahout to croft the equator in
its courfe to the tropic of Capncarn, often iii Ociober,
when a tHntinu^ drought jp
take place, till its Return in March. . This is iucceeded by
violent uninterrupted rains till June, during* whjch time
the fun has travelled to the tropic of 6anCery andafhort
feafo'n of parching heat again takes place, till abput July,
which is once more followed by ihceffant fains till O&o-
her, and thus the revolution of the different feaiohs is
completed *.
The continuance of the rains during the time when
the fun is vertical in this climate, is neceffary to the
exigence of animal and'vegetable life, which without
thefe feafonable refrefhments mull languifh and expire
under the fervid influence of its rays. But though I
have mentioned ftated periods for the variations óf the
* I cannot but hofjcfe in tbS place a
ftrange error, into which Mr. Guthrie
has inadvertently fallen, in dating the
commencement of the diy feafon at the
north tropic, From the time when the
fun ig vertical at the tropic of' Capricorn';
and defcribing.it as Continuing
till the fun is again vertical at Cancer, or
from the beginning of January to the
latter end of May.
fe'afohs in'Guiana^, yet it is neceffary to remark that thefe
change's arenot uniformly produced at the fame time, but,
like theFuropeanfeafons^pccafionally vary. The changes
are alwa^ys^companied by tremendous claps of thunder,
and vCr y%ivid flafhes of lightning, which continue during
fevera$^§e|l^iahd are frequently fatal both to the cattle
2nd inhabitants of JtMs country.
ƒ"fS‘omebjparfs ?of. ’,Guiana prefent ^ barren and mountain
ouSafj)edt,f but infgfriera-l theffoil is abundantly fruity
ful, tnp earth during tthe whole of the year adorned
with continual verdure^. i±ie tfqeS loaded at the fame time
with blofforns, and ripe- fruit, and the whole prefenting
ta t-he vievV the rodightful union of ffpring and fummer.
This' general appearance of fertility, particularly in Surinam,’
may be «afcribed not -onlyjjto, the rains and warmth
in this-climate, but alio fco sityjlow and marfhy lituation,
whion. -prevents the interne yhdats. from - deffroymg ye?
getation, and from the extreme rifehnefs the foil, particularly
in thofe parts which are cultivated - by European
induftry.1 It rhtift* indeed;be vCpnfelled, that fych fitua-
tion S'are - far - from befog favourable, to health’,;.but the
fpirit of gain' is a very powerful principle, and the certainty
of prefent profit ,will generally be conlidered
as a weighty counterpoife to thofe evils which, if ever
encountered, appear at a confiderable diftance; and as
they - are -fometimesefcaped, may be always efteemed
as uncertain.
The uncultivated parts of Guiana are ’covered with
V o l . I. F immenfe